Saturday, December 11, 2010

And still they try (MCCD and FOIA)

Recently, a McHenry County resident wanted some information from the McHenry County Conservation District (MCCD). The same "game" being played at Dorr Township (by a different law firm) got played at MCCD - and lost.

In this case a neighbor of one MCCD property where hunting is allowed asked the MCCD for the names of persons who had been issued hunting permits for MCCD property. Because it wanted to deny the request, the MCCD's attorney, Ancel Glink et al., had to request approval from the Attorney General's Public Access Counselor (PAC).

The PAC denied Ancel Glink's request, meaning that MCCD must provide the names of the hunters to the property owner, who fears a stray shot will harm her family or damage her house.

This is the same game that Dorr Township plays with residents. When a resident submits a FOIA request, the Township, through its attorney (not Ancel Glink), submits a request to the PAC and gets turned down.

This unnecessary legal cost and delay is foolish. The attorneys know the law. They should inform their clients to honor the FOIA request, not stall and delay (and incur unnecessary legal expense).

Is the US Flag at half-staff?

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About Me

In 1996 I moved to Woodstock, Illinois, after having lived all over the U.S. It didn't take long to get involved in my lifelong traffic crusade, because I noticed that many drivers, including too many police officers, routinely ignored traffic laws. My traffic crusade led to an appearance on ABC's The View, and two invitations to appear on Court TV followed.
I started my first blog on April 15, 2007, to address perceived problems with the McHenry County Sheriff’s Department and some local police departments. I have also advocated strongly for disabled students in Woodstock District 200 Special Education.
As a practicing hypnotherapist, I have a unique practice in this area, providing sessions to clients in the comfort of their own homes, rather than in a sterile office setting. I studied and worked with a retired D.O. who had begun using hypnotherapy in her California medical practice in 1950. Often, clients experience past-life events and relate them to current-life situations.
I ran for McHenry County (Ill.) Sheriff in the November 2010 General Election and came in Third with 5% of the vote. That’s the one and only time I’ve ever run for public office.